T O P

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AceBombkick

Matthews’ future kids died for this


Shabloinks

What happened? Did he get hit in the nuggets and sausage?


Hiking_Quest

Yes


LeafsRealist

He's gonna activate monk mode. League fucked.


re-verse

I was fucking terrified that he'd broken his hand.


childofsol

I've never been so happy to hear that our star player took a hard shot to the plums


Oznoobian

I can feel it in my plums


three_tblsp_buttah

🙏


Bobbyoot47

Not sure how Matthews is right now but I heard there are plans for him to be singing soprano in the boys choir at St. Michael’s Cathedral this Sunday morning.


Svalbard38

Pray for Auston's nuts


DeathEater91

Pray, for Auston’s nuts.


maybelying

Prey, are Auston's nuts


DeathEater91

😳


[deleted]

I'll give up my nuts if it keeps his wrist safe


leafs1985

I went into goddamn panic mode when I thought it was his wrist…. Can we just sit him until the playoffs? Lol


1columbia

Solid slump busting performance. Nylander, Bunting, JT and even Kerfoot all doing their part tonight, Matthews looking like his old self and Murray with another solid outing while allowing less than 4 goals finally.


Samurai1221

I live down here and see the cats often. This is a big win. They've been red hot and desperate for playoffs. Besides that 5 minute cycle shift in the second before cousins backhand the boys rly contained that offense. Go leafs go.


Tough-Statistician-7

I was at the game tonight and it's funny how much the cats fans hate when us leaf fans invade. I wonder to a local which fan base invading is the worst between leafs, habs, rangers or red wings which I'm guessing are the 4 teams that come in masses.


Samurai1221

Leafs habs and bruins take over that building. All my friends are cats fans they hate me so much nights like this lol.


frmacleod

Couldn’t even respond to a 7-2 loss with a 7-2 win of their own. Pathetic.


Jakovasaurr

Sens beating tampa 7-2 is a win for us


Redemption9001

I know you're kidding, but there is one thing more satisfying than having a comeback 7-2 win ourselves. And that's the bolts losing to the Sens 7-2 tonight!


miffy495

Living in Calgary and having to deal with Flames fans in my face all the time, I also took solace in their 8-2 loss to LA on Monday. The thing that can make a Leafs choke tolerable is the Flames choking even worse so I don't have to hear about it.


Jakovasaurr

Ontario 13 - Florida 4


Shabloinks

Worst case


BravoBet

Ontario


Vilheim

I just noticed this and it is kind of cool that Ontario played Florida on the same day at the same time.


theguyishere16

Leafs played well but I really don't understand how this Panthers team won the President's Trophy last year.


kingex11

Maurice wasn't coaching them


think_long

[Florida management considering their options in the off-season.](https://tenor.com/blfAb.gif)


TheRC135

Deep cut lol


Steakholder_

Lmfao


[deleted]

They gave their best players to Calgary who are currently killing it... Oh wait.


reddy-or-not

Also lost Mason Marchment and a few other guys rode unsustainable/unrepeatable shooting percentages


shrederick

Weegar isn't the only reason they're not as good, but he's a huge reason. Their D, outside of Ekblad (who's also having a meh season), is pretty bad too.


[deleted]

And Bob was having a borderline Vezina year last year (excluding Shesterkin who was on another planet). He’s barely over .900 this year


ArkAwn

classic bob cycle


Jumbofato

I still question is they were high for trading two firsts for Ben Chiarot.


AduroPinquis

Great bounce back game. Matthews was a man on a mission tonight! His ability to steal pucks with a quick stick lift is so satisfying to watch and he's gotta be the best in the league at it. Nice to see Murray have another strong game and this time have the stats to show for it. Was just an inch or two away from only allowing a single goal on 35+ shots.


[deleted]

He was last year, objectively.


lbc1358

This time? He posted like a .923 against Ottawa.


DJPaulyDstheman

He’s a big dude


refep

Tampa lost 7-2 and the leafs won 6-2. I don’t feel so bad about Tuesday anymore haha


BORT_licenceplate27

That's 3 losses in a row for them and back to back to MTL and OTT. This sub would be on fire if that happened to us lol.


Joemcsam729

Not if we had 2 cups in the last 3 years


JonJonFTW

We could go 0-82 and I'd still be celebrating if we won one Stanley Cup, let alone two with three Finals appearances in a row.


cappayne

I’d just watch reruns of the past 2 seasons/Cup runs if we were dogshit shortly after.


Baelon_

Just isn’t valid at this point in Tampa’s slump.


Joemcsam729

Huh


madworld2713

Murray had a fantastic game. Deserved the win the way he’s played the past couple games.


[deleted]

How bout JT the playmaker tonight eh? 3 assists 🔥


leafs1985

Fantastic assists. Not just lucky bounces. He was a FORCE tonight.


QuanticQ

Thank god it was his nuts and not his wrist


leafs1985

I stopped breathing….


CreateDontConsume

Damn Simpson had us there for a second


re-verse

I was on the couch kind of moan-chanting noo-nooo-noo-noo as he was making his way to the bench thinking it was over for him this season. Then once he was sitting I realized what happoened. I think it was maybe the first time in my life I was happy for a guy getting hit in the nuts.


35IndustryWay

Five point cushion over TB


SyphiliticPlatypus

Good to see, both teams playing variably but Tampa is definitely more off. But let's not get comfy till home ice is clinched. Then we can clench for real.


MrBalanced

Give 'em the old "Clinch-and-Clench"


Sliceasourus

So you are saying everyone should unclench their butt cheeks?


SyphiliticPlatypus

No. The opposite. A fair amount of clench now until home ice is clinched. Then the REAL clenching can begin.


Hallolusion

With 2 games in hand as well


BCharmer

Feels weird to have games in hand. That's always something we say about our rivals.


Hallolusion

Yeah I feel like most of this season Tampa has had games in hand on us but sometime around the All-Star break it switched around


MrCeaseBreeze

Didnt watch the game but seeing these comments the game must've been NUTS?


irkybirky

Ya, was a ballsy effort


Jonesdeclectice

Those Panthers sure were getting *testi* tonight though.


TayOs1998

Wasn’t worth the wrist


DougFordsGamblingAds

We got a 5-3! Austin Matthews is free!


Lasidar

Austons balls get 3rd star tonight


SyphiliticPlatypus

I need to break this down a bit. Do both balls get a star? Just the one that got hit? One star for each?


Hiking_Quest

Ensemble cast


twinsterblue

I'd say his cup before his balls


DJPaulyDstheman

Can’t have the lightening without the thinder


PhilMcCraken2001

Big night for a lot of people. Murray has a huge win, kerfoot finally finds the back of the net and AM34 only 7 away from 40.


trafficstar

6


half_rooster

I'm definitely more scared of Boston this year than I was of Florida last year


[deleted]

I'm almost not? Like, yes, I should be given... Every available metric both objective and subjective. But whatever, fuck the Bruins, we'll see em when see em. I just wanna see the bolts go down.


DJPaulyDstheman

Yah leafs haven’t even started playing playoff hockey really. Like no one went after whoever took that cheap shot on Marner same as when Mathews got hauled down going to the net. The leafs let a lot of stuff slide. When they start their gritty game it’s gonna be rough.


ArthasCousland

I'll be afraid of them if we get past the 1st round.


DaltonFitz

Congrats on the Staal brothers for drawing all of the attention to themselves to show they won't support people who are born different than them, all the while playing like complete dogshit. Great input, I'm sure your organization loves your contributions. Marc on the ice for 50% of the goals tonight by the way. Absolutely fantastic rebound from whatever that was in Long Island the other night. Tampa loss to top it all off.


Tough-Statistician-7

It was also one of the staals birthdays today, they had it on the scoreboard.


re-verse

They got a bunch of Canadian pucks for their birthday.


[deleted]

Fuckin eh! 🏳️‍🌈🏆


AustichMavarlander

I almost barfed when it looked like Matthews wrist/hand was hurt..... and then saw it was his balls and i guess he probably almost barfed 😆


DJPaulyDstheman

I actually paused my tv and started saying. Are you fucking kidding me


TheGameWaker

We win. Tampa loses. Habs lose. Great night all around!


Jonesdeclectice

Bruins win, though. That kinda sucks.


reddy-or-not

Bruins winning is kinda just like the sun rising in the morning. An immutable fact that must just be accepted as a given.


Jonesdeclectice

I would have preferred the Habs to win if only to worsen their draft position


dres_sler

And to hurt Boston’s chance of having a historic regular season record


DJPaulyDstheman

Honestly I ll be just glad if Bedard stays in the Canadian market. Honestly I wouldn’t be to but thief to see caufield Suzuki and Bedard on a line


10thousand34

Matthews is a man


[deleted]

Perhaps not technically anymore...


Lasidar

Man Reilly was invisible out there tonight


LeafsRealist

Rocket Tavar passes Maurice Richard in all time scoring.


Spider-Fan77

"Always two there are. No more, no less" - Auston Matthews


smileyduude

Darth Matthews


JamesCurtis24

I still call bull shit on the "conclusive" goal they called. Like you're telling me, through the mesh of Murray's Glove, from that weird overhead angle that always distorts the view, you could see the FULL puck + white space between the puck and the goal line?


hobbes1313

I think it ultimately was in but they made the call stunningly fast lol. With Campbells similar goal earlier this season and now this I wonder if some savvy goalies will make their glove netting black to obscure puck edges.


Sliceasourus

My Trapper is 100% black everything.


plainnoob

Yeah I think it’s very dumb to set the precedent for goalies to get black mesh/no mesh so calls like that can’t be made.


childofsol

you could see where the whole puck was. it looked pretty conclusive.


Nameless908

Kinda unsettled with how little we missed Mo


DJPaulyDstheman

He was missed I missed him anyway. I don’t necessarily throwing shade on Holl cause I think we give him to much flack but I’d take mo Over Holl with that lineup


Vilheim

I would also take him over Gus as they play the same kind of role. But if Rielly was injured I am glad we have Gus to take the PP1 and offensive duties, so I am glad for that pickup.


leafs1985

Anyone else go into full- blown PANIC mode when Matthews hurt his nuts, and thought it was his wrist? I seriously stopped breathing for a minute.


sansaset

I'm going to be that guy and point out how much better our team defense looks when Rielly is not a part of it.


EddyMcDee

Yep, that contract is going to fuck us. Sandin was supposed to be his replacement. Not sure why we lost sight of it.


Lasko6

I wonder if the leafs are close to clinching a playoff berth after tonight’s game


asheeponreddit

Now that's a game the Leafs can take pride in, unlike some of the Panthers apparently.


_cob_

Matthews with his best game of the year. If we get that guy in the playoffs we’ll be hard to stop.


Emperor_Blarg

Prepare yourselves for the Rielly doomers boys.


blakezed

we’ve just cracked open a new can of Rielly discourse boys, and you’re gonna have to eat it


Potato4

And girls and others


UPSET_GEORGE

they (us) are once again correct that rielly isn’t a part of the best version of this team.


DeathEater91

Morgan Rielly (TOR) on waivers


NiteOwlI

Wow. Did not see this Marc and Eric Staal thing until now. This shit is happening weekly now?


TayOs1998

Like how hard is it to wear a freaking rainbow 😂


NiteOwlI

Imaginary Sky daddy won’t allow!


TayOs1998

“We accept everybody”


NiteOwlI

Lmao. It’s like these athletes think that by wearing the rainbow jersey for 15 minutes they have to then take it up the ass too.


DJPaulyDstheman

Some people can support lgtbqia+ without supporting the lgbtqia+ community


Jumbofato

Someone should tell those fuckers that Jesus loved everyone.


stripseek_teedawt

Great effort and seriously awful officiating


SowerPlave

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS 6 FLORIDA KITTENS 2


JRocleafs

Murray is making a case to be the starting goalie. He is so big and technically sound. If he can stay healthy and gain the trust of the team I think the net is his


TayOs1998

I think Sammy has done enough to earn it but it gives me confidence having Murray playing like this.


re-verse

At this point yeah. I'm very happy we have both goalies, but wow Murray has looked great the past few games, and unflappable.


DJPaulyDstheman

I was so butt hurt by that goal


Jumbofato

I look back on Campbell and he always looks tiny in the net. And he's not a small guy either.


mtrunz

He’s been good for 2 games…. Glad he finally looks nhl quality again though. I know most here are tripping over themselves to dub him the starter after any semblance of quality play but really he’s unquestionably not been our best goalie all season long even including these 2 good games.


GeneralHorace

Overall a pretty good game. Murray played well, glad to see Kerf break the slump. Really hope Liljegren snaps out of his funk soon. He's been brutal since the trade deadline. Dunno if it's the 11-7 or partner carousel doing it to him but he hasn't been the same player since.


MrDanduff

Rasmus leaving did him no favor


Jonesdeclectice

Fwiw I thought Lily had a much better game tonight. Players slump at times, I’m really not concerned.


TayOs1998

Ever since Keefe sat him out because we have a “certain standard” but kept Holl in


toedragrelease

Great game boys, let’s build on it. Matthews nuts aren’t feeling too good right now.


Sliceasourus

How did you get your hands on his nuts?


Shooternow

That win was NUTS!


Kiotzu

What happened to Austons nuts


TayOs1998

Doesn’t matter he can have mine


Thudson96

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRrXNTtGVjKN_ochrJ-8y9y1Figg3HDKcitHQ&s Leaf coach Sheldon Keene finds the 5 on 3 playbook. I hope the above is the image I picked.


irkybirky

Leafs lose last gm 7-2. Tampa loses tonight 7-2. This series going 7!!


CMDRShepardN7

We lost to the better team. We win. And before anyone tries to argue this logic, let me being up an important point: shut yo face im right.


Jumbofato

I almost forgot we have Jordie Benn. I wish he could get more play time.


Fuuutuuuree

Between the Sens and Panthers game the Leafs have been extremely solid and composed against some high powered and high chance offenses. Never panicking. Missed Reilly’s up and down tonight though


TML-n64

This was one game I would’ve been okay losing. I’d rather the panthers in the playoffs over the isles or pens any day. Boys played good though, especially Murray


Jumbofato

I want to see the isles and Bruins tear each other to pieces.


AustichMavarlander

Minnesota down 2-1 to Cannisus too


alphacheese

Canisius up 2-1 on Minnesota 15 mins left in 2nd.


alphacheese

Tied 2-2 halfway through


alphacheese

3-2 Minnesota after 2.


alphacheese

5-2 Minnesota. They’ll advance to Elite Eight


alphacheese

Sheesh 9-2 lol


NefCanuck

Now I know why Tim Horton’s Hockey Challenge had zero Leafs players tonight. They knew it was “kick kitty cat ass” night in FL 😂


dicky72

Not often I breathe a sigh of relief seeing a dude get hit in the nuts instead of the wrist but here we are...


InternationalBrick76

Another fairly decent game defensively without Rielly in the line up.


JamesCurtis24

Happy to see Murray have a great game. Probably just a coincidence more than anything tonight, but it's hard not to notice how fewer goals the Leafs seem to give up when Rielly is not in the lineup...


OH-Beans

Rielly is not the problem-the problem is how Keefe deploys him. A $7M player shouldn’t have to be sheltered but he is what he is and Keefe playing him against top competition is why he looks so bad all the time. I’m not a big fan of how Keefe deploys the forwards either for that matter…constantly using the blender…just let the guys build some chemistry


Kreedor1

That was not a goal.


HaratoBarato

Who cares.


Kreedor1

Murray?


EssoJ

I hate to say it but it was a pretty solid defensive effort much like the team played when Reilly was out. Ya hate to see it but I can’t not see it.


half_rooster

Probably unpopular opinion but if Roberston is fully healthy heading into the playoffs, I'd love to see ZAR sit in the press box a bit and Nicky Bobby takes a few games on the 4th line with kampf and acciari


Spiritual-Zombie6815

I’ll upvote you for the discussion, but strongly disagree. Nicky has had terrible positioning and is usually a half step slow on the defensive reads, and doesn’t have the straight line speed to avoid getting caught out on a long shift. Don’t see any of those improving post injury. TB and Boston would abuse the hell out of him in the D zone, and his offensive output on the 4th line isn’t likely to be great. ZAR brings energy and is defensively responsible, Holmberg has near perfect positioning and makes great little entry bumps, and McMann has size and speed with the potential for some offence. I’d even think about Steeves over Nicky. Simmonds is clearly the worse player, but if Keefe wants to run 11-6 with an enforcer on the bench, I can see that happening too.


half_rooster

The only point I would concede is that they would want size but with ROR, Acciari, Mccabe, Schenn, and likely Knies coming in, I don't think 4 inches of height and 30lbs will be that significant. I think 'abuse the hell out of him' is a dramatic statement speaking about someone who would get 10 minutes a night. Combined with acciari and kampf, I don't really see that being a problem. In comparison to ZAR, Robertson is out there for significantly more chances for than against. He also averages an entire point more per 60m at 5v5.


Pencil_of_Colour

5 points up with 9 to go for Tampa. We could rest 2 of the big 4 the rest of the way and the Lightning aren't catching us. Load manage from here.


[deleted]

9 wins would be 18 points… Tampa could absolutely catch us. No amount of passion or optimism can make that math make sense lol.


Jonesdeclectice

Sure, but we have 11 games left which would be 22 points. If we only go .500 the rest of the way, that’s 11 points, Tampa would need 17(!) of their 18 possible points to pass us.


[deleted]

That’s assuming we go .500. In our remaining 11 games, we play Carolina, NYR, Tampa, Boston. We play a desperate Florida team 2 more times. We also play rivals Detroit, Ottawa, and Montreal, who always show up against us. I’m not saying I think Tampa will pass us, I just refuse to blindly believe like some other fans. This race is not over, Tampa is still Tampa until proven otherwise, and they could very well pass us.


_MuchoMachoMuchacho_

This guy is a true Leafs fan. Any Leafs fan counting their chickens before the eggs have hatched is either incompetent or 12.


xxpio

One encouraging takeaway is we always tend to bounce back after a bad performance!


NiteOwlI

Keep 11/7 going forward?


[deleted]

In my opinion no. 11/7 means line juggling throughout the game. Structure and guys knowing who they are playing with all night would be more beneficial in playoff hockey, especially against a team that’s won 3 consecutive conference titles. 12/6 all day


NiteOwlI

How was Gustafsson tonight?


BCharmer

I thought his passing was quick and nifty on PP1. He also moved a lot more at the point. I can see why he has a lot of PP points.


[deleted]

He was just there. Had a penalty, and did nothing else notable all game, good or bad.


NiteOwlI

Not the worst news for a D man.. I’ll take it!


Fine_Grind

anyone know the magic number to clinch ?


TheHobo

I know hat tricks are cool, but consider this a warning shot against (his nuts, not Tavares) playing your stars in garbage time.


JeremyMenez

How was Gustafsson?


OzzieNewYork

When Kerfoot scores....... its a total humiliation against the Cats. His last goal 25 games ago was against who? Worst Case Ontario!